Vehicle air-brake.



Patented Sept. H, I900.

W. J. DONALDSON, JR.

VEHICLE Am BRAKE.

(Application filed Oct. 11, 1897,

we MW.)

2 sheets-sheet 1.1

mum. v lllllllllll WITNESSES J A TTORNYS UNITED STATES- ATENI wrnicn.

WILLIAM JOHN DON'ALDSON, JR. OF LA GRANGE, TEXAS. I

VEHICLE AIR-BRAKE,

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 657,649, dated September 1 1, 1 e00.

Application iiled October 11, 1897. Serial Ru. 654,915. .No model.)

To whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM J 01am DONALD- SON, Jr., of La Grange, in the county of Fayette and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Vehicle Air- Brakes, of which the following is a plain, simple, and concise specification.

Myinvention is an improvementin bicycle, tricycle, or other vehicle brakes simple in construction and possessing excellent efficiency, my object being to provide a. new and novel, durable, and inexpensive brake with powerful and accurate retard motion and with quick action in setting and releasing the brake, with little or no exertion on the part of the rider, and at the same time present a general handsome appearance.

The invention consists in certain novel con structions and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side View of a bicycle with improvement applied, Fig. 2 is. a face View, parts being broken away and others shown in section, .of the operatingvalve. Fig. 2 is a detail crosssection of operating-valve, showing location andposition of valve-plugs. Figs. 3 and 3? are cross .-sec tions of operating -'va lves. Fig. 4 is a detailed view of air-receptacle and parts immediately associated therewith. Fig. 5 is a de tailed elevation of brake-shoe,piston-bracket, and cylinder and parts immediately associatedtherewith. Fig. (Sis a cross-section of Fig. 5 showing end of cylinder and piston, traveling bracket, clamps, and stay --b olts.

.Fig. 7 shows in detail the frame-plates for supporting and holding the cylinder in position'. Fig. 8 is a detailed View of clamps for securing the. air tubes or pipes to the handlebars, and Fig. 9 is a detailed view of one of the single-tube clamps shown on turning-post and lower section ofv wheel-frame.

heptacle may be copper, zinc, or other suitable material and .may be enameled, nickeled, or otherwise finished and is preferably arranged and supported similarly to the ordinary tool-bag and presents the general ap-- for use.

In use air is stored in the receptacle A. It

sure being indicated by the gage a. From pearance of the. usual tool ca-se when applied thisreceptaclejtlie air is conducted to and from the cylinder-chain ber B by the connecting pipes ortubes and opens into the cylin der B at B back of piston B to operate such piston and. set the brake-shoe 13 against the wheel. The'brake-shoe and piston are retracted to normal position automatically by the spring B and the operation is effected by. simply pressing gently on the segment-lever 2, which turns the plug E to register with the'vent E and allows the air to escape.

. Behind the brake-shoe, on end of piston,-I secure a traveling bracket H which reaches crosswise in front of cylinder from one side of bar-iran e,h to the other and is secured by use of a'jam-nut, hfi on the piston, so as to slide forward and ha lg on bar H with the piston, the object beip' to prevent the shoe and end of piston fr m; 0 thefriction andpressureiof the wheel while in motion. a

' The pipe connection between the receptacle andair cylinder-chamber maybe termed the line-pipe C, and inits courseI provide the operating-valve D. This valve is preferably formed in theshape of an ordinary signal- ,bell and is clamped to the handle-bar and has formed through it an air-passage E, which receives the air from thereservoir at nipple E and discharges it at nipple E to the pipe which leads to the brake-cylinder air-chamber B. The valve D also has a vent to the atmosphere for the passage of the air in releasing the brake. The passage E is controlled by the valves 8 and e, which are turned by the upper and lower buttons or levers 1 and .2 wh ich have rack-segments geared with teeth out he plugs, the levers'being held in position by coil-springs E and E The valveplug c has a single straight port turninginto register with or crosswise of the air-passage E, while the-valve-plug e.has a two-way port and may be turned into register with the passage E or to discharge the air from the cylindepchan ber through the vent E? by the pres sure of thespring B In the operation of gging downward by this construction to apply the brake, pressure by the thumb should be applied gently to the button o r.lever Nov 1.. .This opens the valve and allows the air to pass from therecept-acle to the cylinder air-chamber to set the brake. After the brake is partly orfu 11y set, the but;

' ion or lever lshould be released and the wheel allowed to remain under the control of; the brake. To release the brake, the lower butten or lever No. 2 should be gently pressed to adjust the valve-plugs to vent the air to the- .two and the latter asingle loop f, the clamp F being employed where the line-pipe extends in two lengths, as onv the handle-bars, and

the clamp ll where but a single length is to be secured.

J ustabovetherear wheel,on the frame-bars, I support,'by means of plates G and eyebolt G, the-brush G which removes all dirt and other obstructions'from the wheel in advance ance-in fact, is not noticeable to the ord i-.,

brake-shoe.

In securing the cylinder to the bicycleframe I provide a set of frame-plates H and H, fitting above and below the frame-bars H of the machine and connected together andclamped upon the said frame by stay-bolts h. The plates H have openings h for bolts B on the cylinder B,'such bolts B extending through the plates H H and receiving the nuts of the brake-shoe, avoiding clogging at the B by which the cylinder is anchored firmly' in position.

"'On'the rear frame-bar H of the bicycle I secure byclampH the adjustable back-stop I for the cylinder, such st'op consisting of a set-screw which may be readily turned to adjust the cylinder and brake-shoe to the proper relation with the wheel.

It will be noticed that the application of my brake to any ofthe ordinary bicycles may be readily efiected, no change in the machine being necessary, and,furt-her,th at when applied it presents no clumsy or unsightly appearnary observer, most of the parts bei-ng'fashi ned to resemble conventional bicycle attachments. s l 3 The advantages experienced in the useof my improvement in bicycles are manifest and include great ease of application, ja-powerful' application of the brake, a quick release thereof, and accurate regulation of the force of the brake, and its operation does not necessitate the removal of the gloves or hand from: the handle-bar, the operating-valve D being conveniently located and operated by the thumb by slightly pressing segment-lever No. 1 to brake-shoe, pressure-reservoir and connectset the brake and No. 2 to release it;

It will be understood that I do not confine or limit myself to thepreciseconstruction as set forth.

shown, as various modifications and variations may'be'elfected without departing from the main featuresof my improvement.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a brake substantially as described an operating-valve, provided with an air-passage to and from the cylinder, and the ventpassage to. atmosphere,'a single and a two way valve-plug in saideasing, and having its ports or ways arranged-to be-turned into register with the passage and vent and means whereby said valve-plugs may be turned, including segment-levers and springs E? and E,.to control the ai'rpassage; substantially as shb'wn and describedf -j 1 1; X

2. In a brake substantiallyas described, the combination with, the. bicycle or vehicle frame, of the brake-shoe pistonand cylinder,

.the friction of the wheehsubstantially as 'described. I

3. The combination 'o f' the brake-shoe cylinder a support therefor an abutment and an.

adjustable back-stop for cylinder consisting of a set-screw bearing between the cylinder and the abutment, substantially as described.

4. In an air-brake, an operating-valve comprising the casing having the air-passage and vent, the plugs turning in said casing and controlling said passage and vent, and the buttons having rack-segments geared with and adapted to operate the plugs substantiallyas described.

5. The improvement herein described consisting of the air-receptacle, and the brakecylinder, pipes or tubes for conducting the air and the operating-valve having a casing, an air-passage and a; vent,the plugs controlling'the said passage and vent and the buttons orlevers,andthe traveling piston-bracket for preventing the downward. motion of the brake-shoe and the piston-rod substantially as described. I v ,M

6. In a brake apparatus substantially as ,the cylinder, piston and piston-rod for operating the same, supports for saideylinder, a

bracket traveling'with the piston-rodfwlrereby to prevent'the depression of the slide and rod by the friction of the wheel and supports on which the said bracket travels substantially 7. In a brake apparatus an operatingwalve comprising a casing having the air-passage and" vent, the independent valves controlling 'said passage and vent, means for positively operating said valves'independently, and the ing' devices substantially as set forth;

-8. In an apparatus substantially as de-' scribed, the eperating-val ve comprising the casing having the air-passage and vent, the

plug-valves controlling said passage and vent, and he levers operating side by side and meshed with their respective plug-valves substantially as set forth.

' 9. In an apparatus substantially as described, the combination of the pressure-reserv oir, the brake shoe and its operating means, the pipe connections between the res brakershoeoperating devices and the controlling-valve, and means for positively operating said valves independently.

WILLIAM JOHIY DONALDSON, JR.

Witnesses: v

NIM ON E. BAKER,

VERMILLION. 

